Comeback gives 49ers NFC title

ATLANTA – The 18-year wait is over, thanks to an escape from a 17-point hole.

After looking comically overmatched for the first 15 minutes, the 49ers rallied for a 28-24 win over the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday to reach their first Super Bowl in nearly two decades.

The 49ers will meet the winner of Sunday’s AFC Championship Game between the Patriots and Ravens on Feb. 3 at the Superdome in New Orleans.

San Francisco, which trailed 17-0 one play into the second quarter, reached the Big Easy thanks to a hard-fought comeback.

The 49ers pulled it off with 233 passing yards and a touchdown pass from quarterback Colin Kaepernick, two critical second-half turnovers by Matt Ryan and a defense that didn’t allow a point in the second half.

Running back Frank Gore capped the comeback with a nine-yard touchdown run to give the 49ers a 28-24 lead with 8:23 left.

Then, they held on, just barely.

After Gore’s go-ahead run, the Falcons embarked on a 14-play, 70-yard drive and faced a 4th-and-4 at San Francisco’s 10-yard line with 1:13 left. Ryan targeted wide receiver Roddy White at the 5-yard line, but the pass was batted away by linebacker NaVorro Bowman.